1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to exposing apparatuses and methods, and more particularly to an exposing apparatus and an exposing method for transferring patterns onto a plate by irradiation of light onto the plate having on its surface a layer of photosensitive material through a photomask which is positioned in the vicinity of the plate, which photomask is provided with a plurality of linear patterns in parallel or with patterns in arbitrary forms at least at one ends thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
A glass plate for a liquid crystal or plasma display is increasingly becoming larger in size. The plate especially used for the plasma display has increased in size to achieve as large a dimension as 1 m.times.1.5 m.
Naturally, a photomask for exposure for forming a prescribed pattern onto such large plate must be increased in size accordingly. However, the manufacture of such large photomask to suffice the demand is often accompanied by difficulties including that in ensuring accuracy in processing and pattern drawing as well as by significant cost for material.
In addition, even if the large photomask sufficing the above mentioned requirement is manufactured, the exposing apparatus itself would accordingly become extremely larger in size, thereby requiring a large space for installation and making its operation extremely complicated. As a result, the manufacture of the large photomask and accordingly large exposing apparatus requires extremely high equipment and maintenance expenditure in total.
Further, when a foreign matter adheres on the photomask, it is directly transferred as a pattern, thereby decreasing product yield. Thus, the photomask is carefully handled to prevent the foreign matter or the like from adhering thereon.